1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic apparatus having the same. More particularly, the present invention concerns an ultrasonic transducer in which a side portion of the transducer is formed by a side member separate from a front member to facilitate the processing of the surface against which a piezoelectric ceramic body of the front member abuts, e.g., an ultrasonic transducer in which the surface roughness of the abutment surface is improved to thereby make it possible to reduce the loss of propagation of the vibration of a piezoelectric element to the front member, as well as an ultrasonic apparatus having the ultrasonic transducer
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various ultrasonic transducers have been proposed, and a Langevin type ultrasonic transducer, for example, is known in which an opening groove is formed in a rear end face of a metallic vibratory block, and a piezoelectric vibratory element is fitted and held in this opening groove (e.g., refer to JP-A-2003-199195). In this ultrasonic transducer, the piezoelectric vibratory element and connection electrodes are accommodated in the interior of the vibratory block and are not exposed to an outer surface. Accordingly, the connection electrodes are not fouled, and a short-circuiting is prevented. In addition, an explanation is given that since the substantially entire surface of the outer peripheral surface is formed by the vibratory block, in a case where the ultrasonic transducer is used as a hand tool, the entire peripheral surface of the vibratory block can be held, and handling is facilitated.
3. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, in the above-described conventional ultrasonic transducer, since a front member, which is a vibration transmitting portion, and a side member with the piezoelectric vibratory element accommodated therein are integrally formed, the processing of the surface of the front member against which the piezoelectric vibratory element is abutted against is not easy, and there is a limit to improvement of the surface roughness of the abutment surface. Accordingly, there are cases where it is impossible to sufficiently improve the efficiency of vibration propagation from the piezoelectric vibratory element to the front member.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and its object is to provide an ultrasonic transducer which facilitates the processing of the surface of the front member for abutment of a piezoelectric ceramic body as the side portion of the transducer is formed by a side member separate from the front member, and which, for example, is capable of improving the surface roughness of the abutment surface to thereby reduce the loss of propagation of the vibration of the piezoelectric element to the front member, as well as an ultrasonic apparatus having this ultrasonic transducer.